Leg structure



March 31, 1959 w. H. HAAG LEG STRUCTURE Filed April 11. 1958 INVENTOR. WILL/AM HERBERT Hana BY United statfiSP ti o 2,880,047 LEG STRUCTURE William Herbert Haag, Liberty, Ind.

Application April 11, 1958, Serial No. 727,852

14 Claims. (Cl. 31139) This invention relates to a leg structure for tables,

stands, and the like, to be supported at two different elevations upon a surface such as a floor.

An object of the invention is to provide a leg structure for application to a table top, whereby with ease and dispatch the table top may selectively be disposed at two different elevations for alternative uses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple 2,880,047 Patented Mar. 31,- 1 959 material, having a forward end 14 and a rear end 15, the ends being preferably furnished with apertures 16 to receive screws or other fasteners for securing the plate flatwise upon the under face of a tabletop or slab such as 8. Near the rear end of the plate, and preferably adjacent to the rearmost apertures 16, are anchored the ends 17 and 18 of a stationary inclined leg 9 constituted of heavy wire or rod stock, bent to substantial hair-pin shape to provide spaced divergent struts 19 and 20 meeting to form a loop 21. The loop portion may be bent at the locations 22 to project insubstantial parallelism with mounting plate 13, thereby toprovide a foot which may flatly contact a floor or other supporting surface.

. The arms 23 and 24 of 'theloop are spaced apart to provide a throat between thebends 22, into-which throat 1 may be directed the movable leg 10 as the leg is swung downwardly and outwardly about its pivotal mounting 26 'upon the plate 13, as illustrated by Fig. '1. The pivot 26 maybe in the .form of a pin or shaft passing transversely through the upper end, portion 27 of leg 10, and

having its opposite 'ends journalled in the spaced parallel depending lugs 28 and 29, which are perforated to receive thepivot pin. .Lugs 28 and 29 may be formed from a metal strap bent to inverted U-shape, and having its intermediate base portion welded, riveted, or otherwise securely fixed to the mounting plate 13 near the The foregoing and other objects are attained by" the Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 4, showing a modification thereof. v v

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a mounting plate for 'forward end 14 thereof. -The lugs might, in an alternative construction, -beformedfintegrally from the material. of the mounting plate assuggested by Fig- 6, wherein such'lugs are nur'nb'ered'48 and 49.

Atthe locations 17 and. 18, the metallic inclined struts forming the leg 9 are to be securely fixed to the mount ing plate in any suitable manner, as by welding, peening, or any known process common in the art. The leg 9 therefore is a stationary leg, and the plane of its struts 19 and 20 may form an acute angle with the major portion of the mounting plate,.such that the foot 23--24 underlies the forward'end' 14 of the mounting plate or projects slightly beyond it and the pivot 26. When the movable leg 10 is swung to the operative position of Fig. l, the leg 10 should be either vertical, or inclined slightly in the general direction of inclination of the leg the leg structure, alternative'to the mounting plate of Fig. 1.

In accordance with the present invention, a table top or slab such as 8 may be provided with a plurality of leg units like that of Fig. 1,. which permits support of the table top selectively upon'sho'rt legs 9, or long legs 3 10, depending upon the nature of the service required of the table. For example, if the table is to be used as a game table or for other purposes requiring the use of chairs, it will rest upon the long legs 10. When used as a coffee table or as one accessible to persons seated upon the floor, it will preferably rest upon the shorter legs 9. The arrangement of legs is such that for each short leg there is a corresponding long leg substitutable therefor. Depending upon the shape and size of the table top, the leg units may. number three, four, or more, it being usual to furnish one leg unit near each ing from the underside of the slab top 8, in accordance -with common practice. The table may be constructed omittingthe element 12, if desired.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, 13 indicates a substantially v12 indicates a drop board or peripheral frame dependfiat base or mounting plate of'metal or other suitable 9, by preference. As will readily be understood, the inclination of leg 9 might more closely approach the inclination of leg 10, if desired.

Leg 10 is adapted to frictionallyengage the loop arms 23 and 24 when disposed in the operative or extended position of Fig. l, to preclude accidental collapse of the leg structure. To achieve .the desired frictional gripping of leg 10, the arms 23 and 24, or one of them, may be provided with an inwar'dly projecting slight bend or hump 30 serving to constrict the loop entrance-or throat 31, so, that the leg 10 when advanced toward home position within the loop confines, will slightly spread the arms 23 and 24 before seating within the base of the loop. As will be understood, the loop arms are resilient to the extent required for thusly binding the leg 10 within the loop.

In the modified form of loop illustrated by Fig. 5, the arms forming the loop may carry a frictional coating, or covering 32, preferably'of plastic or rubber-like substance, to lfriction'ally engage the leg 10 and thereby In all the drawing views, the character 34 indicates a tip for the leg 10, made of-plastic or rubber, to preclude damage to the floor or supporting surface upon which the leg stands. Leg 10 may be either solid or tubular, as suggested by Figs. 4 and 5', respectively.

A suitable clip or catch 35 depending from the under face of the mounting plate, near the rear end 15 thereof, serves to hold the leg in the inoperative or retracted position when the leg is swung inwardly and upwardly to a position of substantial parallelism with the mounting plate. The clip or catch may comprise a pair of resilient arms 36 and 37' properly spaced and shaped to accommodate and frictionally retain the leg 10 in the inoperative position. Fig. 3 shows in dotted lines the inoperative position of leg 10, with relation to the table top 8. Fig. 3 shows also, at the left, the extended or operative position of the leg. As will be understood, folding of all the legs 10 to inoperative position results in formation of a low table supported upon the stationary short legs 9.

Fig. 6 illustrates in perspective a mounting plate 50, constructed of a single sheet of metal, wherein the pivot lugs 48 and 49 as well as the clip or catch 51, are formed integrally from the material of the plate. The characters 52 and 53 indicate openings near the rear end of the plate, in which the struts of leg 9 may be anchored by welding, peening, or other method, to produce a rigid connection. Other openings 55 are adapted to receive screws or other fasteners whereby the mounting plate may be fixed'to the under face of a table top as was explained previously. The plate of Fig. 6 is substitutable for that of Fig. Land will bear the same relationship to the legs 9 and 10 as was explained in the disclosure of Fig. 1.

With reference to Fig. 3, it may be noted that both of the long legs 10 may be folded compactly against the underside of the table, without interference with one another, by so positioning their respective mounting plates as to dispose the legs alongside one another in the horizontal plane. The legs may lie in substantial parallelism with the drop member 12, or if preferred, the legs when folded may extend diagonally of the table top.

In conclusion, it is to be understood that various modifications and changes in structural details of the device may be resorted to, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. A unitary leg structure for tables and the like, comprising in combination, a base plate having forward and rear ends, a movable long leg having. an upper end pivoted upon the base plate nearthe forward end of said plate, for swinging movement of said leg from an upright operative position to an inoperative position in substantial parallelism with the base plate, a short leg constituted of a metallic rod having opposite ends, the rod being bent intermediate. its ends to hairpin shape for providing a pair of spaced struts and a loop forming a foot for the short leg, means fixing the corresponding free ends of the struts to the base plate at spaced points near the rear end of the base plate, the struts being inclined at an angle to the base plate for disposing the foot loop in underlying relationship to the forward end of the base plate, the loop havinga throat and a seat portion dimensioned to accommodate an intermediate portion of the long leg when the latter is swung to the operative upright position.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1,. wherein is included means on the base plate to releasably latch the long leg in the inoperative position at which said leg rests in substantial parallelism with the base plate.

3. A unitary leg structure for tables and the like, comprising in combination, a base plate having forward and rear ends, a movable long leg having an upper and a lower end, means pivoting the upper-end of said leg upon the base plate near the forward end of the latter, for swinging movement of said leg from an upright operative position to an inoperative position in substantial parallelism with the base plate, a short leg constituted of a metallic rod having opposite ends, the rod being bent intermediate its ends to hair-pin shape for providing a pair of spaced struts and a loop portion forming a foot for the short leg, the loop portion being bent at an angle to the struts for disposing the loop portion in a plane substantially parallel to the base plate, means fixing the corresponding free ends of the struts to the base plate at spaced points near the rear end of the base plate, the struts being inclined at an angle to the base plate for disposing the foot loop in underlying relationship to the pivot means of the movable long leg, the loop having a throat and a seat portion dimensioned to accommodate an intermediate portion of the long leg when the latter is swung to the operative upright position.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein are provided friction means on the loop and on the base plate, for releasably holding the movable long leg in the operative and inoperative positions, respectively.

5. A unitary leg structure for tables and the like, comprising in combination, a base plate having forward and rear ends, a movable long leg having an upper and a lower end, means pivoting the upper end of said leg upon the base plate near the forward end of the latter, for swinging movement of said leg from an upright operative position to an inoperative position in substantial parallelism with the base plate, a short leg constituted of a metallic resilient rod having opposite ends, the rod being bent intermediate its ends to hair-pin shape for providing a pair of spaced struts and a resilient loop portion forming a foot for the short leg, the loop portion being bent at an angle to the struts for disposing the loop portion in substantial parallelism with the base plate, means fixing the corresponding free ends of the struts to the base plate at spaced points near the rear end of the base plate, the struts being inclined at an angle to the base plate for disposing the foot loop in underlying relationship to the pivot means of the movable long leg, the loop having a seat portion and an adjacent constricted entrance throat receptive of an intermediate portion of the long leg when the latter is swung to the operative upright position, said throat by reason of the resiliency of the loop material, serving to releasably hold the long leg within the seat portion of the loop.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5, wherein is included means on the base plate to grip and releasably hold the movable long leg in the inoperative position aforesaid.

7. A unitary leg structure for tables and the like, comprising in combination, a base plate having forward and rear ends, a movable long leg having upper and lower ends, means pivoting the upper end of said leg upon the base plate near the forward end of the latter, for swinging movement of said leg from an operative upright position to an inoperative position in substantial parallelism with the base plate, a short leg constituted of a metallic rod having opposite ends, the rod being bent intermediate its ends to hair-pin shape for providing a pair of spaced struts and a loop forming a foot for the short leg, means fixing the corresponding free ends of the struts to the base plate at spaced points near the rear end of the base plate, the struts being inclined at an angle to the base plate for disposing the foot loop in underlying relationship to the pivot means of the long leg, the loop having a throat and a seat portion receptive of an intermediate portion of the long leg when the latter is swung to the operative upright position, and friction means carried by the loop for restraining and releasably holding the long leg within the loop.

8. A unitary leg. structure for tables and the like, comprising in combination, a base plate having forward and rear ends, a movable long leg having upper and lower ends, means pivotally mounting the upper end of said leg upon the base plate near the forward end of the latter, for swinging movement of said leg from an upright operative position to an inoperative position in substantial parallelism with the base plate, a short leg constituted of a metallic rod having opposite ends, the rod being bent intermediate its ends to hair-pin shape for providing a pair of spaced struts and a loop forming a foot for the short leg, means fixing the corresponding free ends of the struts to the base plate at spaced points near the rear end of the base plate, the struts being inclined at an angle to the base plate for disposing the foot loop in underlying relationship to the pivot means of the long leg, the loop having a throat and a seat portion receptive of an intermediate portion of the long leg when the latter is swung to the operative upright position, and friction means carried by the intermediate portion of the long leg where said leg contacts the loop, for frictionally restraining the long leg against displacement from the loop.

9. A unitary leg structure for tables and the like, comprising in combination, a base plate, a movable long leg having upper and lower ends, and means pivoting the upper end of said leg upon the base plate for swinging movement of said leg from an operative upright position to an inoperative position in substantial parallelism with the base plate, a short leg stationarily fixed to the base plate in depending relationship, said short leg having a foot portion to contact a supporting surface, and means on the foot portion of the stationary short leg aligned with the path of movement of the pivoted long leg when swung to the operative position, for releasably holding the long leg in the operative upright position.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 9, wherein is included a latch on the base plate for releasably holding the long leg in the inoperative position when said long leg is swung to substantial parallelism with the base plate.

11. A unitary leg structure for tables and the like, comprising in combination, a base plate, a movable long leg having upper and lower ends, and means pivoting the upper end of said leg upon the base plate for swinging movement of said leg from an upright operative position to an inoperative position in substantial parallelism with the base plate, a short leg stationarily fixed to the base plate in depending relationship, and holding means on said short leg aligned with the path of movement of the pivoted long leg when swung to the operative upright position, for releasably connecting the movable long leg to the stationary short leg in the operative upright position of the long leg.

12. A unitary leg structure for tables and the like, comprising in combination, a base plate, a movable long leg having upper and lower ends, and means pivoting the upper end of said leg upon the base plate for swinging movement of said leg from an upright operative position to an inoperative position in substantial parallelism with the base plate, a short leg stationarily fixed to the base plate in depending relationship, a foot portion on the short leg to contact a support surface, said foot portion including a loop having an open throat in alignment with the path of movement of the long leg when swung to operative position, said loop being snugly receptive of a portion of the long leg for releasably restraining same against displacement from the loop.

13. The combination as set forth in claim 12, wherein means are provided on the base plate for releasably holding the pivoted long leg when said long leg is swung to the inoperative position aforesaid.

14. The combination as set forth in claim 12, wherein the foot portion of the stationary short leg carries a coating of friction material to contact and restrain the pivoted long leg against movement relative to the stationary short leg when the long leg is disposed in operative position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,995,260 Flint Mar. 19, 1935 2,432,266 Wilkinson Dec. 9, 1947 2,529,940 Hingley Nov. 14, 1950 2,574,924 Larson Nov. 13, 1951 2,729,527 Anderson et a1. Jan. 3, 1956 2,809,875 Diack Oct. 15, 1957 

